Improvement in bee-hives



dhd-ted ,gta/trs `Jo'srjrI'I M. HICKS, or INnIArtArotIs, INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 107,047, dated September-6, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN BEE- BITES The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patente-nd making part of the. sae.

apolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,

have invented certain and and useful Improvements in Bee-Hives; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to lthe lettersof reference marked thereon lwhich form a part of this specification.

"Ihe nature of my invention Vconsists in the con'- struction and arrangement of a bee-hive, as will be hereinafter set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to'which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I willnow proceed to' describe its construction and oper-y ation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which-w' .Figure I is a iongitudina'tl vertical section, and

Figure 2, aplau view, part iu section, ot' my hive.

Figure 3 is a side view of-A the comb-frames.

A represents thebase of the hive, upon which is placed the hive, proper, consisting of two sides, B B, joined together at the corners, and two hinged doors, C and 1)',1forming the other two sides of the hive, these doors being hinged one to eachV of the sides B, and, when closed, their outer edges join and are f ast, eued by a hook, a, as shown in lig. 2. v

,The top E ofthe base A forms the. bottom of the hire proper, and extends outward a 'suitable distance.

on the front sidelto form the customary alight-ingboard, under the entranceb, which is closedby apivoted door, G.

The top H of the hive proper is provided with two openings running across the hive, and leading into the box I above, in which the irony-frames J J are placed,said boxy being Closed by 'the hinged cover K.

In the base A is placed a drawer, M, for the mot-hf mittel'. l

Itis admitted by all bec-keepers that a hee-hive should have an east front, 'which theory I believe to be correct.

I give the moth-miller drawer M a. west front, .because the moth-miller always attacks bee-hives late in the afternoon and evening, continuing their attacks through the night.

The drawer M has a screen, al, ou the side directly opposite to where the bees and moth-miller enter the hive.

'Ihis drawer is also used for the purpose ot' catching the droppings of the bees at one end, it having-a partition, L, with passage e, as shown in tig. 2, thereby cleaning the hive at once of all tilth, and also of destroying the moth-millers.

ln the bottom E of the hive is an opening, also with a screen, to let the droppings fall down into the drawer.

The screen al, on tbefi'ont of said drawer, is also useful for the purpose of Ventilating the hive in connection with the ventilator N ou top of hi've.

This ventilator consists of a piece of perforated tin or metal of any kind, vor wirecloth sunk iu the lid K on the top side, in order to keep the bees from waxing it over, which-they would do if put on the under side.. lhis feature is very useful and important .in all hives, so as to prevent bees ti'om'olosing up wit-h wax any ventilationl that may be desired.

In the alighting-board E, on each side of the beeeutrance. b, is ai slide, O, of wood or metal, with a passage, g, through the board E, into the drawer M;

These slides can be adj usted to such a degree as to admit of all sizes of bees, either drones or Workerbees, so that when robbers attack one of these hives, they can be trapped at pleasure and heid as prison: ers. I

vAll the edges of this hive are beveled, as shown at points marked t', so as to prevent the killing of bees when the top lid K or either of the doors and Dare closed.

The comb-frames P P are hung ou the door D by means ot hooks It and eye-screws k, as shown in tig. 3, so that the frames may bcswuug with the bees and honey out ot' the hive.

-The frames P I are also braced with wires m fm, or strips of leather or wood, so arranged as to brace from or near the' corners of the door or side D, crossing each'other ou top of the frames, and attached near the outer ends of theside frames; or they may also be bracedfrom or near the center-'of the door to the corner ot' the frame. r

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let-V ers Patent, `is- 1. 'lhe frames P P, hinged to the door of the hive auds'ect'u'ed by braces m at, all arranged as and for the purpose set forth.

2. So beveling the top of the hive or sides thereof', where the doors are'hiuged, that the bees will not be injured by the shutting dowh of the top or the ciosing of the doors, substantially as described.

3. A bee-hive, consisting of base A, drawer M, top E, sides B B, doors O D, slides O O, flames P P, top H, frames J J, and cover K, all arranged substantially as set forth. f

1u testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I- aftix our signature in presence of two wit- IIESSCS.

' JOSEPH M. HICKS.

Witnesses: A

JAMES H. FISHER, J. A. DELANO. 

